Krissy Meehan, formerly known as Krissy Mashinsky, and her husband, Alex Mashinsky, have drawn scrutiny for their links to Celsius Network, a collapsed crypto lender accused of fraud.
However, their involvement with Strong Blockchain, a brand encompassing various products spearheaded by the duo and associated with the e-commerce platform USA Strong, has received less scrutiny. Strong Blockchain encompasses multiple initiatives aimed at enhancing supply chain transparency and promoting American-made products.
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Despite their notable ties to Celsius Network, the extent of Meehan and Mashinsky’s roles within Strong Blockchain remains relatively unexplored, raising questions about their influence and the platform’s operations within the blockchain ecosystem.
The Mashinskys and Strong Blockchain
Strong Blockchain is a “community-driven, decentralized platform” focused on authenticating American-made products, aiming to stimulate local economies and foster job growth. Formerly, Krissy Meehan led USA Strong, while Alex Mashinsky was listed as its chairman on LinkedIn.
Notably, Strong Blockchain’s social media presence previously highlighted Mashinsky’s leadership role, though the company later issued a correction. These connections raise inquiries into the extent of Meehan and Mashinsky’s involvement in Strong Blockchain and their potential impact on the platform’s operations and objectives within the blockchain space.
USA Strong disputes this claim, asserting that Mashinsky is not the chairman. Leveraging his position at Celsius, Mashinsky endorsed Strong Blockchain in promotional materials. Subsequently, he was indicted on multiple financial felony charges related to his tenure at Celsius.
No verification for manufacturers yet
A post dated March 30, 2022, on the Strong Blockchain app heralds its launch and encourages businesses to undergo product validation processes. Despite the platform’s claims of activation, there is a notable absence of verified manufacturers.
Instead, the “Recently verified products” section features entries such as “latest test product” and “Test Product” from an entity known as “Latest Test Company.”
An examination of USAMADE’s OpenSea profile reveals a collection purportedly affiliated with the brand, yet it lacks the expected NFTs designated for verified businesses. Instead, the profile showcases pieces that resemble copyrighted works or appear to be outright copies.
It’s worth noting that the USAMADE NFT is owned by WEB3STRONG, an entity associated with USA Strong. Furthermore, while some firms like Humid Outside were previously verified, their validations have since lapsed, indicating potential challenges with maintaining verification status.
Interestingly, Humid Outside, LLC, a company seemingly linked to the blockchain platform within the same community, appears to have been dissolved as per records from 2022. Additionally, USA Strong provided an alternative profile for luxury candle company Thompson Ferrier, which expired in August.
These developments raise questions about the integrity and sustainability of Strong Blockchain’s verification processes, highlighting the need for further scrutiny and transparency within the platform’s operations.
Further checks by Protos
When approached by Protos regarding the verification issue, USA Strong responded, indicating the importance of the data’s validity at the time. Despite this, Protos has yet to identify any active businesses currently verified by Strong Blockchain, highlighting a potential gap in the platform’s functionality.
Further examination of Humid Outside’s profile reveals a verification process differing from the method outlined on the website. The Ethereum address associated with Humid Outside matches the one used for Thompson Ferrier’s verification.
Moreover, the address linked to Strong Blockchain’s verification activities was also involved in transactions with CEL tokens, adding complexity to the situation.
It’s essential to underscore that despite these associations with Celsius, a company embroiled in financial controversy, Strong Blockchain remains separate from the bankruptcy proceedings. This emphasizes the need to thoroughly investigate the platform’s operations and adhere to blockchain industry regulatory standards.
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